Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2020

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's claimed respiratory condition (COPD), psychiatric condition, and heart disorder. The Board found that there was no evidence of a pre-existing condition in service or clear and unmistakable aggravation by service. The COPD is attributed to the Veteran's long history of smoking. The psychiatric and heart conditions are not linked to service.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including loss of sense of smell, taste, sleep disorder, heart disorder, salivary gland disorder, gallbladder removal residuals, urinary tract infections, and skin disorders. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to the Veteran's military service or exposure to ionizing radiation.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as new and material evidence was not received to reopen the previously denied claims. Service connection was also denied for hepatic steatosis and chronic kidney disease due to lack of a causal relationship with military service.

The Board denied service connection for a heart condition and chest pain as there was no current disability found, and the Veteran did not provide sufficient evidence to support his claims.

The Board denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and a heart disability, finding that the evidence did not support a link between these conditions and any period of military service.,For the heart condition specifically, the Board noted that while the Veteran contended it was secondary to his obstructive sleep apnea, there was no competent medical evidence linking the two.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection for a heart condition is granted. The Board has also remanded the cases of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and for bilateral hearing loss, as well as the issue of assigning a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including heart disability, respiratory disability, acid reflux, migraines, hypertension, and acquired psychiatric disorder. The remand is due to incomplete records from Naval Medical Center Portsmouth during the Veteran's active duty period.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss and diabetes mellitus type II, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, coronary artery disease, and a large artery aneurysm due to potential exposure to herbicide agents during his Vietnam-era service. The issues are inextricably intertwined with the remand of the large artery aneurysm claim.

The Veteran's PTSD has been granted an initial rating of 70 percent.,Service connection for diabetes mellitus type II as a result of herbicide exposure is remanded due to lack of evidence of contact with Agent Orange in the Dominican Republic.,Secondary service connection claims for various conditions are remanded due to the need to establish herbicide exposure.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for heart disability, loss of feeling in upper and lower extremities, and joint failure. The claims are remanded for further development.

The Board denied service connection for coronary artery disease (CAD) and remanded the issue of service connection for gastritis.,Further development is required to determine if the Veteran's gastritis is related to active service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's death was related to his service, specifically his presumed herbicide exposure and side effects of medications for his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's initial 10 percent rating for service-connected pseudo folliculitis barbae (PFB) is granted, and a rating in excess of 10 percent for PFB is denied. Service connection for a heart condition is also denied.

The Board denied service connection for COPD, emphysema, heart disease, hypertension, and cerebral infarction residuals as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions began during service or were otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.

The Board denied service connection for right shoulder disability, major depressive disorder, coronary artery disease with dyspnea, sleep apnea, degenerative joint disease of the right hip, and residuals of rib fracture.,There is no evidence linking these conditions to active duty.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and heart disease due to a lack of proper notification regarding scheduled VA examinations. The Veteran is required to be re-examined by a VA clinician to determine the nature and etiology of his hypertension and heart disease.

The Board denied service connection for heart disability and liver disability, as well as a rating increase for dermatitis. The Veteran's claims were not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's petitions to reopen claims for service connection for atherosclerotic coronary artery disease, posttraumatic stress disorder, and diabetes mellitus type II. The evidence submitted since June 2015 did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate these claims.

The Board has remanded the case due to errors in obtaining relevant private treatment records and addressing whether a new VA examination was warranted.